


Worries

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: 3rd Age - The Kings, General
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 17:42:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3777664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little Elrohir has to go through the first night without his twin, and Erestor has the challenge of soothing him down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worries

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

_"I wonder how do you feel. I, for my part, feel miserable. I cannot see you, cannot touch you, cannot even bid you goodnight for the first time since we were born. Without you, I feel empty, I feel weak. I try to be brave, just as you might be trying right now too, but it is difficult, so difficult. I just wish I could hug you, ease your pain; that nothing of this had happened, and you were simply sleeping at my side, looking for my comfort, just as I always look the same of you._

I miss you."

Elrohir sat alone in their bedroom, now dark because of the night. His slender hand held the sheets at his side tightly, and tears strained down his pale face. To anyone who could have entered or gone by the window of the room, the sight of Elrohir would have seem them the one of a lost puppy. But if meant by destiny, or because it was always meant to happen, the single fact that we are not alone was to be proved once more, and in the elfling's case was not an exception. Someone had remembered him, and was coming to his aid.

The bedroom's door opened slightly ajar, soundlessly, and the elder came softly in.

"You're here," Erestor whispered.

Elrohir, still not facing him, nodded.

After what could have seemed centuries, because of the weight of the silence, the child asked: "How is Elladan?"

Erestor sighed inwardly. Whatever he was going to answer had to sound with encourage, but he couldn't lie to him, so he pondered in seconds a suitable answer. The ones that doesn't reveal much, but only the necessary.

"Your ada and naneth are taking care of him. He has fallen asleep long ago"

"Is he... is...," Elrohir was interrupted by the knot in his throat,"...is he suffering?"

"He has taken his medicine, and surely feels much better"

"But still in pain"

Erestor walked towards the slumped silhouette and gave a comforting squeeze on his shoulder. "He will be fine. Isn't your ada the best healer in all Middle Earth?"

The child nodded, but his eyes implied that he felt somehow it wasn't enough. What if his ada just couldn't help his twin this time? Erestor sensed the unspoken fears.

While Elrond and Celebrían, along with a faithful troop of healers, were in the infirmary dealing with the injured twin; he, counsellor, mentor, but neither none of his parents, was trying his best to bring some relief to the child's soul.

It was one thing to soothe an upset elfling down because of a lost toy or a silly argument, and another one was to soothe an elfling whose brother was badly hurt.

The councellor's heart nearly sank at this discouraging thought.

"He will be fine," he said in strong determination.

For the first time since the elder had entered the room, Elrohir stared at him in the eyes.

"I need him Erestor"

"I know," Erestor said softly while embracing the child, "but now he must rest. You'll see him tomorrow"

"Erestor?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm scared," Elrohir said with his head resting on the elder's shoulder.

Erestor just held him closer, and rubbed some circles on his back.

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course," Erestor smiled at this, gladly to be useful at last.

The child sobbed, unable to contain this turmoil of emotions longer. He buried his face in Erestor's collar, while grabbing his tunic as strong as he could; he felt like a shipwrecked, looking for something in the middle of the sea just to hold on to the surface of the water.

"Did you know, Elrohir...?," Erestor whispered as soon as he calmed a bit down, "when I was an elfling, just like you and Elladan, I had an accident. Nothing serious, it was merely a scratch. You know I don't have a twin, but I had an elder brother who always cared for me, and I usually told him to stop mothering me; he could be a bit overprotective sometimes. So I had the accident, and my father took me to the healers. My brother stayed at home alone, deeply worried of course, and as he didn't know what to do, because he felt that if he cried he wouldn't gain anything, he sat at the table and carved me that beautiful rough soldier that is always on my night table. Do you remember it? I have showed it to you and Elladan in a number of ocassions"

Elrohir nodded softly.

"Well, it took him to do it almost all night, and when he finished, it was early in the morning. A few hours later, my father and I were back at home, and I was allowed to stay in his bed, so he could keep an eye on me while resting of that long night he stayed awake at my side. I didn't feel good, and was a bit depressed of the whole situation. But then my brother came in, with a tray bringing breakfast, and when I lifted a cloth that was supposed to cover a basket with pastries, I discovered the little soldier. You can imagine my surprise, and even if I didn't feel that good I felt much better, and then I wasn't depressed anymore. So you see, that soldier in the end brought relief to both of us. To me, because I was reminded that he cared about me and that he loved me; and to my brother, because it helped him to 'survive' the night. He had his mind on something else, and didn't feel that alone and worried."

Elrohir brushed his tears with his sleeve. "I don't know how to carve," he said sadly.

"I will carve it for you, and then we can paint it together, what do you think?"

Elrohir nodded eagerly, finally feeling a bit better. "Thank you"

Erestor gathered the child in his arms, and while humming a soft melody, they went in search for the elements.


End file.
